THE peace process helped make last year the best ever for Irish tourism, with visitor numbers up 15 per cent to 4.3 million, according to the Minister for Tourism and Trade.
Mr Kenny said yesterday other factors included the positive image of Ireland which has been generated by international sporting and cultural successes and the increased investment overseas in marketing Irish tourism."
The number of visitors from Britain was up 13 per cent last year, from mainland Europe up 12 per cent and from North America up 30 per cent.
There was a strong rise in the number of holidaymakers. "For the first time ever we had over one million pure tourist visitors here in the July to September quarter."
Emigrants returning to visit their families appeared to account for relatively little of the increase. In the first nine months of the year, the number of people visiting relatives was down 1 per cent. Tourist visitors were up 24 per cent and business visitors up 12 per cent. In that period, the Republic earned £686 million from visitors. Irish residents spent £486 million abroad.